Plans for La Mesa business district causing flap

LA MESA  La Mesa is pressing ahead with plans to work with property owners on a downtown business improvement district, despite concerns from some merchants about wasteful spending, higher rents and government interference.

Emotions boiled over at a merchants’ meeting last week that included a city staffer involved in the plans.

Chris Gonzales, program coordinator with the city’s Community Development Department, was peppered with questions and listened to a litany of concerns from the group of nearly 50 at Sanfilippo’s restaurant. He also took some heat from several La Mesa Boulevard business owners.

Both Bill Jaynes, of All Things Bright and British, and Craig Maxwell, of Maxwell’s House of Books, criticized Gonzales and the city.

A visibly frustrated Maxwell, who later had a verbal confrontation with City Councilman Ernie Ewin at the meeting’s conclusion, said the city has been “secretive” about the proposal.

City officials say something needs to be done to beautify La Mesa’s Village.

“This Village, which is an asset to the entire city, has been deteriorating for 20 years,” Mayor Art Madrid said. “It hasn’t been improved since 1965. Had it not been for some redevelopment in 1978, nothing would have been done. We want to improve the area and have a better community as a whole.”

The city envisions the owners of 170 parcels paying a total of $225,000 annually in additional property taxes for a La Mesa Village assessment district. Among other things, the district could be responsible for keeping streets clean, landscaping, additional security, and graffiti and litter removal.

Realtor Laura Lothian, who is on La Mesa’s Parking Commission, wondered if instead of an improvement district, the city could better use revenue from downtown parking meters.

“It seems that the city has shifted responsibility to the merchants,” Lothian said. “My clients can’t stand to pay to park, but it would be acceptable if you put quarters in and saw flowers and tangible evidence of beautifying the Village.”

Several Village merchants told Gonzales that they believe that the city, because of the amount of property it owns, will have too much influence when it comes to voting. Some wondered why city property was even included.

Gonzales said that the city could not win — that if it didn’t include its property, it would be criticized as well.

The city must still develop plans for the district, including a work plan and budget. Property owners would have to vote on any proposal before an assessment district could be created.